Kyrgyzstan: Clashes erupt during Bishkek protest over election results

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Clashes broke out between riot police and protesters during a demonstration rejecting the results of Kyrgyzstan's recent general election in Bishkek on Monday.

According to media reports, the Kyrgyz Health Ministry says over 120 people were injured during the clashes. Footage shows police dispersing demonstrators using flash grenades, tear gas, and rubber bullets.

Earlier in the day, several hundred protesters gathered at the Ala-Too Square to voice their opposition to the results of the vote. The protesters called for the election results to be rejected, and to launch re-elections.

On Monday the Interior Ministry of Kyrgyzstan released a statement urging the protesters to go home: "We remind you that in case of health risk of citizens or any other destructive actions, the responsibility falls on organisers of the rally, particularly on leaders of a few parties and their active members," the statement said.

The President of Kyrgyzstan, Sooronbay Jeenbekov, announced he will hold a meeting with the representatives of 16 political parties which took part in the parliamentary elections on Tuesday.

Preliminary results show that only four parties in Sunday's parliamentary election crossed the 7 percent election threshold to gain entry to the 120-seat legislature.

The pro-government Birimdik gathered 24.5 percent of the vote, followed by Mekenim Kyrgyzstan at 23.88 percent, and Kyrgyzstan Party at 8.76 percent.

The only opposition party to get representation in the parliament was Butum Kyrgyzstan with 7.13 percent of the vote, according to the Central Election Committee.

The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe's (OSCE) election-monitoring team said in its preliminary report that there were credible concerns over vote-buying and other irregularities in the democratic electoral process.
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